Glancing Blows
by Voishen
Summary: An extensive outline of the pasts of Undertaker and the woman he never had. Not necessarily a romance. Origins story of the shinigami, Sebastian, Undertaker, and the world of Kuroshitsuji as it is in Ciel's lifetime. This is a novel. Be prepared for some pretty gruesome events. These characters did not lead pleasant lives.
1. The Outcast and the Whore

Spring again. The soft dew made the grass blades sharp and uncomfortable. Cynddylan had risen early to go out to see the sheep. The crowd of fluff huddled around the small groupings of homes set up in the clearing. Cynddylan counted them one by one by touching them on their heads. The soft wool was much nicer than the grass. The little boys fingers picked brambles from the sheep's ears as he counted them. After making sure all eleven were present he could go about his duties.

The first order of business was water. Cynddylan walked for half an hour each morning to get to a place where the water had to drop five feet. It wasn't really a water fall, more like a water step. But it was good for knocking the sleep out of him, and the water was always tasty. Once he arrived he checked to make sure he was alone. His wiry neck turned like an owl as he examined the brush for wolves or worse girls. Satisfied that he was alone. He removed his wool poncho, he set it neatly on a rock that he had cleared of moss on a prior visit. The boy then turned to face the water, it was a chilly morning but this was nothing he was unaccustomed to. He sucked in air and ran into the path of the falling water. He yelped and shivered as he retreated back to his poncho. The fabric felt awful on his wet skin. He picked up the bucket he had brought with him and filled it before leaving for home.

After giving fresh water to the sheep Cynddylan checked his roof for wholes. He lived alone his parents had been dead for two years, he had no siblings and the other villagers tended to give him space. It was rumored in the town that the boy was bad. His spirit was considered by some to be rotten because the fire that took his parents hadn't taken him. They were so sure that he'd died that they made a burial spot for him next to his parents. They found him in the woods ten days later clutching his mothers incomplete charged torso.

Cynddylan now sat in the center of his hut patching up a few spots he thought looked weak. He'd already crushed down the beat he planned to eat for breakfast and he was now waiting for the rock he had set on the fire to become hot. As he wove fibers together for the roof he absentmindedly glanced at the scar on his forearm as he sometimes did when he was bored. The scar was from the night of the fire. The burn had been so deap it turned black. There is still a small indentation on the arm. A burning pole had fallen on him from the roof of their house he was sad to say he'd been able to struggle free at the cost of his arm and the reputation he now possessed.

He threw bits of beat onto the hot rock the reddish brown vegetable sizzled and turned black and dark brown around the edges. His attention was drawn by a sheep knocking into the hut. He walked outside to see to it but was stopped. Outside his hut the villagers were awake and gathered in front of him eyeing his wholeness with fear. The village elected leader stepped forward his was an old man, old enough to be Cynddylan's grandfather. His grizzly brown features were loose and unappealing, yet authoritative.

"You, young boy!" He pointed at him as if he did not already have Cynddylan's attention. The finger was outstretched but noticeably drawn away from his actual personage so as not to catch his curse. Cynddylan laughed to himself.

"Can I do something for you?"

"What aveyou to say for your acshuns in last nights events? Twas a feet not ten men and a horse could hava' dun. Yet ear you stand. In all Gaul the most erfect of ways a boy could be!"

"It were my recalling tat I saved you and your's sir." He looked down at the sheep that bawed at him.

"Twenta men on horses come and try to take er sheep and our personals and you stand up to em wit a scythe? Wut do you do wit yer self all day in dem sheep pasturs? Fight wit ta lambs?"

"Nah, I just know my way around a weapon tat's all."

'You've not foolin us boy you are bad stuff. Er since your mutter and fatter passed you'd been strange and stranger, and where tid you evetun learn to kill a man?

"It just… comes easy to meh."

She grew up in a land completely different from his. Her world was mysterious and colorful, mixed with sexual dances and wild parties filled with drunken singing and embers flying in soft summer winds. Her mother was a whore and she had no idea who her father was. She couldn't care less about her father's past, she had the richest history she could ever want on her mothers side. Her mother was a tall dark woman with hair the color of red satin. She was considered the most beautiful woman in the area she came from, but she never told her daughters where that was. Her mother spoke seven languages and could dance to any song, she sang beautifully and men fell at her feet. She made them pay extra if they liked her too much.

From the day she was born Morganna lived in the world of the practicing witch. Her mother was seventh generation, she was the proud eighth. She was the youngest and the last of the daughters, there was no need for sons since the magic does not pass to men. Her mother often informed her that men did not have to capacity or strength of a woman, nor her ability to cause chaos, that was the witches power and that was what you needed. As a rule of thumb, Morganna was told that witches do not live high, the poverty line or lower was acceptable. Dirt and stink and misery is required to do good magic. Morganna believed every word her mother said. When she was a toddler she rubbed dirt on her face to get ready for the day. The filthier the better. She had six older sisters, two of them were going to become Harpies, three of them would be witches, and one of them, the oldest and Morganna's favorite, she was destined to become a mermaid.

Common folk who listen to Morganna brag about her sisters future lives looked at her and laughed at the cute little fanciful child. Her mother on the other hand, she did not smile, she smirked and winked at the husbands as their eyes passed a curious look at her bossum. "They never laugh for to long baby, they never do." She had once whispered to Morganna.

From as young as three, Morganna had memories of the faces of men who came to her mother for release. Faces of leaders, husbands, sons anyone she could seduce she had. Morganna was frightened by her mother's sounds. She slept in a little stick room with her big sisters cuddled around her. They were warm and peaceful once the client left. Then nothing bothered them in the heavy night air.

Her eldest sister was named Lilith, Morganna spent afternoons helping her with washing. While Morganna herself sat in the wash bucket, she would count the turquoise scales on her big sisters arms. Morganna was still a tiny imp, but her big sister was tall and beautiful. Morgy listened eagerly to her stories of what she would do when she grew her fins. Lilith's other favorite topic was men and their parts which she often gave Morganna quizzes on while she soaked in the bath water. After the bath was over and Morganna had her days quiz over with, she liked to go out into the desert to find little lizards and things to take home.

Once she found a cobra in the sand when they lived in Africa. She brought it home to her mother. Her mother grasped it gently by the body and lifted it up so she could look at the creature in the light. The snake flared and opened it's mouth but did not hiss. Esmeralda flared her nostrils at the beast and bared her teeth at it, the snake leapt from her grasp and slithered away into a hole. When Morganna asked her mother why she scared the snake away, she answered "I don't keep men in the house who can't pay me cash."

Cynddylan left his home the hour after he no longer felt welcome. He had been on the move for eight days now. His belly hurt from lack of food. But he kept hydrated by following a river further and further down stream. He'd heard once that all rivers go to an ocean. He hoped that was true. He'd never been to an ocean.

At the current moment he had stopped where his path intercepted a road. He sat on a log at the junction trying to decide whether or not to go to the ocean or wherever the road lead to. He had no friends, no family, no obligations to anyone. His only baggage was the clothes on his back. He could go anywhere. He waited and thought for a half an hour when a peculiar noise came to his attention. As he listened the noise became louder and he seemed to hear it changing pitch. After a moment he realized it was someone singing. Badly. A man he thought, but it was in a language he did not understand. He also heard another noise, horse hooves and the strange groaning noise of stressed wood.

His first thought was to hide but then he might be mistaken for a thief. His next thought was if this coming man might be a thief, but then he remembered he had nothing worth taking. He calmly stood still as the man approached. Cynddylan saw him first, the man seemed to be singing to the forest and the sky. He had a thick clay flask in his hand which might explain his strange character. Upon further examination he realized the man more closely resembled a goat than a man. He was thick and hairy. His whole body seemed to be covered with a layer a course brown hair. The top of his head seemed to be the only bare place on him. The man wore a strange white blanket around himself and Cynddylan thought him quite under dressed. The man finally seemed to notice him from six yards away. He did a double take before believing that there was really a person in front of his cart. He threw up his hands and bellowed something in his native language. Cynddylan didn't understand him. The man waved his hand for the boy to move to the side. Cynddylan understood that. The man pulled on the reigns of his donkey's to stop his large cart from moving. He pulled his body to face Cynddylan. The man seemed friendly, he was smiling and trying to think about something. Cynddylan walked over and petted the donkey's. The man said something in another language, then another finally he said something Cynddylan understood. "Hello!" Cynddylan turned to face him and smiled.

"Ello" The man smiled and slapped his knee.

"Well I'll be a boy from Gaul, you've made some distance boy, how long have you traveled?"

"Abut eight day." The man frowned and nodded knowingly.

"Haven't quite got the hang of your own language I see. Well no worries, I've got plenty for you to try. Here!" He brought out a sack full of bread and another flask. "Would you like some food? You look ravenous?" Cynddylan nodded egger for the bread, he'd never seen bread before but it looked good. The man handed him the sack and he ate." Mind if we roll a bit I have a deadline to meet?" Cynddylan shook his head as he gulped.

" I'm nut going anywhere, I don't mind."

"Going no where? How can you be going nowhere, you're going somewhere you just don't know where to!" Cynddylan smiled understanding that this was a kind man and he would do well to follow him. "My name is Philo, and I am Greek! Do you know where Greece is?" Cynddylan shook his head. "Well it's a week away from here. That's about what I can tell you without a map. Pity you don't know where the greatest place on earth is…" He trailed off mumbling things about his country. It was clear this man was eccentric after only knowing him for five minutes.

"Cynddylan." Philo looked puzzled.

"What did you say?"

"Cynddylan is meh name." He tried to pronounce everything as well as he could but alas he had a very strong accent and he couldn't help leaving the soft _e _. The man smiled, his great face bulged to the sides and his eye's seemed to both widen and squint at the same time.

"That's a wonderful name my friend! You see you and I are already like kinsmen. It's as if I've known you all my life!" Cynddylan smiled stretching his face into a jokers grin.

Morganna was barley six years old when her mother moved the family to Egypt. The vibrant culture and warm weather was a plus for the sorceress. She was peaceful there. Her daughters did not complain. Upon arriving Morganna was shocked to see the buildings, building like she's never seen in her life. She trailed closely behind Lilith as they entered. All around them the streets buzzed with activity. The streets were covered with vendors and people trying to sell fabric, phlox, pomegranate, and spices. Morganna covered her nose as the strong smell of the market grasped her. Lilith batted her hand away from her nose. Morganna scowled at Lilith but obeyed. Their mother walked ahead, her presence was dominant amongst the market. Her dark skin and burgundy hair set her apart and made her the object of everyone's curiosity, foreigners were not so uncommon, but these were truly strange guests. In Egypt superstition was a part of life, so was magic. Esmeralda was the manifestation of what they saw in their gods, she was a beacon of respect and fear, though no one knew quite why they feared her.

Lilith walked up to stand at her mothers side, Morganna was dragged along with her. "Mother what city is this?" She touched her mothers shoulder as she spoke. Esmerelda grasped her hand and patted it.

"This is Napata, the current capitol, though I don't know how long that will last."

"Why? Is the king not good?" Esmerelda chuckled.

"The kind has nothing to do with it, no man can control all Egypt from a post so far away from her heart. This new king will learn that, eventually. If not him his family. What was this one's name, Piye? Doesn't matter I'm not here for him."

"Who are we here for mother?" Esmeralda did not answer. Morganna found it irritating but Lilith seemed to understand. The other girls behind them were looking warn out from days of traveling in the Egyptian heat. Esmeralda took note of this and motioned the group aside. They stopped at a small alcove where there was a fountain. The girls flocked to it wetting everything they could to cool themselves. Morganna abstained, though she was still hot, she thought it would impress her mother if she acted like she was fine. Lilith dunked her whole head into the pool. Morganna watched as her sister breathed the water. Behind her ears Morganna could see little flaps of skin moving with the water. Lilith stroked her hair back as she pulled herself away from the water. She made a satisfied sigh as she emerged. Lilith looked to her onlooker. Morganna looked away as if she was not amazed by her sister's powers. Lilith understood Morganna was trying to be tough but she felt bad for her sweltering little sister. She cupped a large handful of water and whistled to get Morganna's attention. Morgy looked back to her just as Lilith threw water onto her head. Morganna squealed and sputtered. The other girls tried to stifle their laughter, they all knew of Morganna's delicate pride. Esmeralda smiled at her children's play. She casually left them to it as she strolled over to speak to the nearest merchant. He was a man she noted, she could get whatever she wanted here, for next to nothing she guessed.

By the time the girls had finished the ensuing water fight their mother calmly strolled back over to the girls with new garments. She held up colorful cotton dresses and beads. She grinned at her girls wondrous expressions. Each of them descended on her trying to get the dress they wanted before her sister.

Morganna got last pick but she wasn't disappointed, her mother had bought only one dress in her size and it was beautiful. A deep brick red would suit her taste fine. Lilith congratulated her on the best outfit of their six. Morganna blushed and disagreed. Lilith was a vision in light aqua blue.


	2. Survival and business

Cynddylan left his home the hour after he no longer felt welcome. He had been on the move for eight days now. His belly hurt from lack of food. But he kept hydrated by following a river further and further down stream. He'd heard once that all rivers go to an ocean. He hoped that was true. He'd never been to an ocean.

At the current moment he had stopped where his path intercepted a road. He sat on a log at the junction trying to decide whether or not to go to the ocean or wherever the road lead to. He had no friends, no family, no obligations to anyone. His only baggage was the clothes on his back. He could go anywhere. He waited and thought for a half an hour when a peculiar noise came to his attention. As he listened the noise became louder and he seemed to hear it changing pitch. After a moment he realized it was someone singing. Badly. A man he thought, but it was in a language he did not understand. He also heard another noise, horse hooves and the strange groaning noise of stressed wood.

His first thought was to hide but then he might be mistaken for a thief. His next thought was if this coming man might be a thief, but then he remembered he had nothing worth taking. He calmly stood still as the man approached. Cynddylan saw him first, the man seemed to be singing to the forest and the sky. He had a thick clay flask in his hand which might explain his strange character. Upon further examination he realized the man more closely resembled a goat than a man. He was thick and hairy. His whole body seemed to be covered with a layer a course brown hair. The top of his head seemed to be the only bare place on him. The man wore a strange white blanket around himself and Cynddylan thought him quite under dressed. The man finally seemed to notice him from six yards away. He did a double take before believing that there was really a person in front of his cart. He threw up his hands and bellowed something in his native language. Cynddylan didn't understand him. The man waved his hand for the boy to move to the side. Cynddylan understood that. The man pulled on the reigns of his donkey's to stop his large cart from moving. He pulled his body to face Cynddylan. The man seemed friendly, he was smiling and trying to think about something. Cynddylan walked over and petted the donkey's. The man said something in another language, then another finally he said something Cynddylan understood. "Hello!" Cynddylan turned to face him and smiled.

"Ello" The man smiled and slapped his knee.

"Well I'll be a boy from Gaul, you've made some distance boy, how long have you traveled?"

"Abut eight day." The man frowned and nodded knowingly.

"Haven't quite got the hang of your own language I see. Well no worries, I've got plenty for you to try. Here!" He brought out a sack full of bread and another flask. "Would you like some food? You look ravenous?" Cynddylan nodded egger for the bread, he'd never seen bread before but it looked good. The man handed him the sack and he ate." Mind if we roll a bit I have a deadline to meet?" Cynddylan shook his head as he gulped.

" I'm nut going anywhere, I don't mind."

"Going no where? How can you be going nowhere, you're going somewhere you just don't know where to!" Cynddylan smiled understanding that this was a kind man and he would do well to follow him. "My name is Philo, and I am Greek! Do you know where Greece is?" Cynddylan shook his head. "Well it's a week away from here. That's about what I can tell you without a map. Pity you don't know where the greatest place on earth is…" He trailed off mumbling things about his country. It was clear this man was eccentric after only knowing him for five minutes.

"Cynddylan." Philo looked puzzled.

"What did you say?"

"Cynddylan is meh name." He tried to pronounce everything as well as he could but alas he had a very strong accent and he couldn't help leaving the soft _e _. The man smiled, his great face bulged to the sides and his eye's seemed to both widen and squint at the same time.

"That's a wonderful name my friend! You see you and I are already like kinsmen. It's as if I've known you all my life!" Cynddylan smiled stretching his face into a jokers grin.

Morganna was barley six years old when her mother moved the family to Egypt. The vibrant culture and warm weather was a plus for the sorceress. She was peaceful there. Her daughters did not complain. Upon arriving Morganna was shocked to see the buildings, building like she's never seen in her life. She trailed closely behind Lilith as they entered. All around them the streets buzzed with activity. The streets were covered with vendors and people trying to sell fabric, phlox, pomegranate, and spices. Morganna covered her nose as the strong smell of the market grasped her. Lilith batted her hand away from her nose. Morganna scowled at Lilith but obeyed. Their mother walked ahead, her presence was dominant amongst the market. Her dark skin and burgundy hair set her apart and made her the object of everyone's curiosity, foreigners were not so uncommon, but these were truly strange guests. In Egypt superstition was a part of life, so was magic. Esmeralda was the manifestation of what they saw in their gods, she was a beacon of respect and fear, though no one knew quite why they feared her.

Lilith walked up to stand at her mothers side, Morganna was dragged along with her. "Mother what city is this?" She touched her mothers shoulder as she spoke. Esmerelda grasped her hand and patted it.

"This is Napata, the current capitol, though I don't know how long that will last."

"Why? Is the king not good?" Esmerelda chuckled.

"The kind has nothing to do with it, no man can control all Egypt from a post so far away from her heart. This new king will learn that, eventually. If not him his family. What was this one's name, Piye? Doesn't matter I'm not here for him."

"Who are we here for mother?" Esmeralda did not answer. Morganna found it irritating but Lilith seemed to understand. The other girls behind them were looking warn out from days of traveling in the Egyptian heat. Esmeralda took note of this and motioned the group aside. They stopped at a small alcove where there was a fountain. The girls flocked to it wetting everything they could to cool themselves. Morganna abstained, though she was still hot, she thought it would impress her mother if she acted like she was fine. Lilith dunked her whole head into the pool. Morganna watched as her sister breathed the water. Behind her ears Morganna could see little flaps of skin moving with the water. Lilith stroked her hair back as she pulled herself away from the water. She made a satisfied sigh as she emerged. Lilith looked to her onlooker. Morganna looked away as if she was not amazed by her sister's powers. Lilith understood Morganna was trying to be tough but she felt bad for her sweltering little sister. She cupped a large handful of water and whistled to get Morganna's attention. Morgy looked back to her just as Lilith threw water onto her head. Morganna squealed and sputtered. The other girls tried to stifle their laughter, they all knew of Morganna's delicate pride. Esmeralda smiled at her children's play. She casually left them to it as she strolled over to speak to the nearest merchant. He was a man she noted, she could get whatever she wanted here, for next to nothing she guessed.

By the time the girls had finished the ensuing water fight their mother calmly strolled back over to the girls with new garments. She held up colorful cotton dresses and beads. She grinned at her girls wondrous expressions. Each of them descended on her trying to get the dress they wanted before her sister.

Morganna got last pick but she wasn't disappointed, her mother had bought only one dress in her size and it was beautiful. A deep brick red would suit her taste fine. Lilith congratulated her on the best outfit of their six. Morganna blushed and disagreed. Lilith was a vision in light aqua blue.


	3. Learning and Assasination

As it turns out Philo was a kind fellow after all. The man spoke four languages and helped friend and foe alike. He had been a man of worship at one point, to God's Cynddylan could hardly pronounce. The jovial man new everything there was to know about mythology and even spirits that were not as distant as gods. "So where do dos stories come from?" Cynddylan asked as the two stopped their cart to rest. Philo stretched and held his back. He barked as something snapped then sighed with relief as the ache was gone.

"Those stories of Zeus and Apollo and all them are more real than the average person knows." Cynddylan paused as he thought about this to himself. " Now Cynddylan, it's hard to know what you're thinking about if you won't tell me. What's in your head, enlighten me." The fat man sat down and folded his hands over his thighs. Cynddylan went to the back of the cart and pulled out feed for the donkey's and a leather bag of water.

"I just wondered what you meant by tat, tats all." Philo nodded.

"Well, first off, this is secret stuff no one is aloud to know about it and if you ever catch one of the magical folk, they won't soon admit it. In fact they'd probably kill you. So don't snoop." Cynddylan hand feed the donkeys. They were both almost as round and Philo. They ate their oats greedily. " The first thing you need to know about in this world is a demon. A demon is a powerful, horrible thing, they prey on human souls when they are at their most miserable." Cynddylan didn't seem to respond to that. He dropped the oats bag and pulled the water bag around the first donkey's face. " Demon's can disguise themselves in any form , man or woman, they are not bound to one gender or even one species. But most demons have a go to species they align themselves to. The beasts always prefer the more nasty stuff too, bats and wolves and spiders and crows, awful things all of them. Don't ever trust a man with red eyes I always say. Stick to what seems natural. Too perfect is a bad sign."

"What about the other things?"

"Well there are also things called shinigami, or reapers, or death gods, they have many names depending on the culture and the language. The gist of them is they run life after death, they collect your soul and ship you off. They also preserve the balance between humans and demons. They're like office workers for the dead. They don't bother humans much, just when you die. I've heard of some other ones but I only hear rumors and legends of them. Demons are uncommon, the other stuff is even more rare."

"Why is tat?"

'Shinigami kill em. They figure they upset the balance and therefore must be destroyed. I don't know details." Cynddylan returned the horse food back to its place then returned to help Philo up.

"Why do ya know so mutch abot these tings?" Philo brushed off some dust.

" Because I know a man who is one. He's an old friend of mine. A scholar I happened to come a crossed in Athens. He's a shinigami, and an important one. He told me all this because I witnessed something I should not have."

"Wat did ya see?" Philo hoisted himself up onto the cart and exhaled sharply.

" I saw an old man kiss a young girl to death. But he was no man and that was no kiss. My friend saved me from an illegal soul extraction. What that means I don't know but that's what he told me."

"Your friend tells you mutch."

' You'd be surprised how little it really is, YAW!" The donkey's began to trot along down their path toward a deep valley before them.

After locating a place to stay for the night the girls were hard at work unpacking their things. Most of what they owned was mutual property of them family, and almost all of it had something to do with witchcraft. Morganna's pack contained a jar stuffed with six thin fish and a small leather sac full of bones. In another container she had eight vials filled with powders of various colors, contained in the largest of them was a pound or so of sand from the hour glasses of dead men. Her mother took this from her and examined it as she set in down on the table she was using to hold her ingredients. She looked up searching for her eldest. Lilith was making the beds.

"Lilith, I need you to watch the girls tonight. I have business to tend to. This new job might take a few weeks so I'd like to start sooner rather than later." Lilith held the sheets up to the night air to let out the damp smell they had.

"I can do that. Will you leave before dinner?"

"yes, I'll leave it for you though." Lilith nodded. Esmeralda picked up a jar of fish she had set aside with the sand. She opened the jar and removed three dead fish each one pickled and slimy. She lay each one out on the sand ad rolled them in it like it was flower. The fish released a slow exhaling sound like a woman's breathing, their skin sizzled and browned and their eyes seemed almost animated as Esmeralda prepared them with some greens and onions. The fish steamed when she set them on boards for the girls. They all giggled at the little show. Esmeralda very rarely cooked with magic. The girls divided the food amongst themselves as their mother left.

Esmeralda entered the meeting place like a goddess. Her shoulder were back and her chin always elevated. This was no act, this was just how she carried herself. Before her sat a dark man cloaked in royal clothes. He had Egyptian facial features yet a distinct foreign touch to his dress and carriage. He was a large man Esmeralda took him to be about six foot and 200 pounds. He was thick but not definded in his muscle. She thought him unattractive, while it was apparent he found her anything but. The man stood and she found her estimates accurate.

"My lady, I'm glad to see you found this place, I hope it was not much trouble to you. Please understand I'm not proud of what I'm doing, I'd like to be secretive if that's alright." Esmeralda walked past him to look at the view out the window, it was dusk now and the city was all blues and purples.

"That speech isn't necessary. I know what you'd like and I'm uninterested in tarnishing your reputation as long as you do not offended mine. Remind me of your name I forgot it since your message."

"Are you in the habit of offending your clients you filthy bitch!" He snareled at her out spoken behavior, he had not expected this from a woman, even of her variety.

"No but I am in the habit of killing the one's I don't like, so I advise you remember _your _manners." She said it like it was the time of day. He bit his tongue and reconsidered insulting a witch.

" My apologies your ways are strange to me, my name is Shabaka ."

"_My_ ways are strange to everyone. I suggest you tell me in exact terms what it is you want from me." He nodded at sat down again.

" I want to rule Egypt and I want to rule all of it. My brother has only the lower part under his true authority though we have conquered to Memphis. He has not returned to Egypt since his conquest. He's weak, I want it all, I deserve it all." Esmeralda paused thinking about her request.

"In your letter you sounded less aggressive."

'My letter was in dictation, I did not want my brother to know my thoughts. Will you help me?" Esmeralda turned to face him for the first time.

"If I help you kill your brother and take control of Egypt my price will be very high."

"Once I am king of everything, no price will be to vast."

" So we are clear I will tell you what I want now it may take time for you to get it for me. I want the hands of the high priest at the first temple you build. I want the blood of a cow blessed to Hathor. I want thirteen Egyptian cobra's from snake charmers, I will know if they are wild. And…" she smiled. "I want the after birth of your first born son." Shabaka stood in shock at the oddities she requested, he had expected her to ask for money. " I will consider what you ask me to do, if I find any reason against it at any time the deal is off, expect results in a months time. I will work quickly." She left the room without waiting for his response.

When she arrived home the girls were all asleep. She closed the door and put a few paper talesmins around it. The seals protected anyone unwelcome from entering it would be their protection while she slept. She did not trust Shabaka, or anyone who knew what she was. Fear is a powerful deterrent, but unfortunately it also brought out madness. And she'd have none of it while her daughters slept.


	4. Murder and The Hag

Philo's donkey's snored horribly but not as bad as Philo. Cynddylan had learned this the first night they'd traveled together. It was alright the noise didn't keep him awake, his dreams did. During the time he'd spent with his new friend they hadn't bothered him as much but suddenly the strange mix of memories and images he did not know flushed through his thoughts. He'd been attempting to suppress this stream of consciousness when suddenly he realized he was asleep. He immediately awoke. He did not sit up, he only opened his eyes very abruptly like he'd put effort into it. Immediately he noticed a change in his surroundings. The donkey's and Philo seemed un bothered but he could tell danger was close. His instinct was to stand and run but considering he enjoyed Philo's company, he decided against abandoning him to his death.

Cynddylan rose silently. The danger was to the north of his camp and he could feel it approaching from what he felt, he suspected it was human and some sort of bandit or thief, maybe a murderer. He could not yet hear or see his opponent coming. He calmly walked into the black underbrush to wait.

Five men wearing the remnants of armor sat on the other side of the bend in the road that separated them from Philo's camp. The men were well equipped and professional. The biggest of them was close to 250 lbs, a goliath in that area. They were of mixed origin and by there ramshackle appearance, they were not well off. Philo grunted in his sleep and turned onto his stomach. A loud burble erupted in his mid section and he woke. He sat up and rubbed his eyes noticing that Cynddylan was not sleeping by the fire where he had been. Philo sctratched his head wondering if he had left.

"Cynddylan ! Were did you get off to!" He hollered at the woods. Three men emerged from the bend holding knives they rushed up and grabbed Philo by the arms as he yelped. "Cynddylan run thieves!" The three men held him then looked over the stuff he had. One of the smaller ones looked in the cart.

"Dammit it's just big piece of rock, who the fuck is fatty over here anyway, hulling a rock around out here. Hey does he got any food?" Another one, the large one squinted in the darkness at the bend.

"Luc, Paquel get out here, we need help…. Hey what the fuck are you doing back there holding your dicks?" The shorter one stopped riffling through the stuff and glanced where his partner looked.

"Stop fucking around I'm hungry!" The third member looked more concerned than the other two.

"Guys?" Two bloody severed heads rolled out from the bend and landed at the feet of the men who held Philo. The two who held him sputtered unintelligibly while the smaller one screamed. Cynddylan walked out from behind the bend carrying a sharpened brank that he had used like a saw after he had smothered them at the same time. The boy stood no more than fourteen and 14 years old clutching the penises of the two men he'd just sleign, he eyes undoughted and a golden honey yellow in the moonlight. His light blond hair appeared white and his smile stretched to grotesque proportions. He spoke in a whimsical eladed voice,

"I don't think they're going to be clutching these anymore." He threw them at the thieves. The three men ran for their lives as fast as the could back from whence they came. The small one tripped over one of the bodies, he vomited then continued to run. Philo lay on the ground leaning on his hands, his mouth was a gape and his face pale.

"Cynddylan what have you done?" The boy took on a less menacing grimace.

"I saved ya, tey wat here to kill us, not rob us. I had to do it, or you'd be dead."

" You killed those men like it was a chore, where did you come from?"

"I'm not ta product of meh home, I'm ta product of meh parents death and a very bad dream I had once." He extended a blood soaked hand to Philo to help him up. Philo looked at it trying to decide his opinion of the blood.

"If you'd of let them kill me there would be one dead man tonight instead of two, I'm not sure if that makes what you did right." Cynddylan still extended his hand.

"Tat may be true, but you were ta better man ta save. You are kind tey were scum."

"On one has the right to decide who lives or dies except the gods, you must not take lives or you will insult them."

" How do ya know I'm nota god Philo?" Philo opened his mouth and looked into the boys face seeing it for the first time that spark of magic he'd missed for the past few days, and then he releaized what he must do. He took Cynddylan's hand and got up.

"When we get to Athens, I will find my friend and show you to him. I think you may be destined for a world with more magic in it than this one." Cynddylan nodded.

"I would like tat, meh friend." Philo smiled deeply.

"And my savior you've saved my life." He trailed off as the two got the cart ready to leave. "that earns you some of the whine!"

Morganna had woke up earlier than usual, the sun had hit her eye lids at about six in the morning, she was aggravated at first but then she remembered the wonderful fountain from the day before. If she got up early she could go there and cool of then brag to her sisters later. It was a challenge to unweave herself from her sisters' arms but she managed to do so with waking anyone, she smiled at what she thought was magic in her. She crept to the door and carefully peeled back a seal. Once the door was released the magic was broken. She looked back at her mother with worry in her eyes. The sorceress would be awake soon she thought, then they wouldn't need the seals anyway. She managed to convince herself she'd done something convenient for her mother before she crept down the coble stone steps. The steps were cool on her bare feet. She soon reached the bottom. Soft pale sand baked in morning sun stood before her, she suddenly regretted not wearing sandals. Still, she'd come that far, she took a deep breath and a running stance. She paused determined to make it to the shady tree on the other side of the road. She hunkered down and jumped landing up to her ankles in sand. She blinked as he felt the hot sand burn her feet. She screamed abruptly and ran as fast as she had originally planned to run. To the locals watching this was quite bizarre. She darted under the tree and discovered that the sand was still broiling even in the shade, she jumped up and down on her tip toes then continued to run in panic towards an ornate building with an awning. She ducked into the area in front of the door where a welcome rug lay. She sighed as she found cool ground. She paused a moment then tried to figure out where she was.

She looked up and saw illustrations in a strange one dimensional profile. The drawings showed a woman familiarly performing a spell. Morganna recognized iron ore and snakes blood but could not decipher the rest. She quickly forgot her mission and wandered into the shop.

The walls were not decorated like her mothers nor were there any signs of magic in the room it was plain and the only special thing about it was a woman sitting in the back of the room holding stones in her hand.

" Come here child and I will tell you what the future has to hold for you?" She beckoned to Morganna. Morganna looked around and realized she was being addressed she was not afraid of the old woman she approached her only to find she smelled like death. Morganna sat in front of her on the floor. Before her was a block of stone the old woman had drawn strange symbols on. The old woman's hands shook and her eyes watered leaving trails of gunk down from the corners. She was dirty and crippled Morganna could see she was missing at least four fingers and appeared to not be able to sit properly. She could have been a witch. But Morganna had never seen an old witch before, what magical creature would ever let themselves age she thought to herself, and though she was tiny even she knew the spells to fix the little scars around her hands. She frowned realizing this woman was either a very bad witch or a fake. The old woman let the stones fall from her hands. Morganna looked up at her the woman looked into the rocks with sincerity though Morgy could tell the old woman was blind. "I see, a life of struggle ahead of you, you'll often be left wanting, and you will fight for what you do get. You will never marry, but you will love more deeply than most." She squinted, Morganna could not tell why if she could not see. "I see tragedy, and I see flames." The old woman looked up at Morganna though see looked to high as if she was looking at someone five inches taller than her in the eyes. "I'm sorry my child, your life is not as easy as the majority that I have seen, you will however, really live as most do not." Morganna finally asked what was on her mind.

"Are you a witch or not?" the old woman smiled.

"No one has ever asked me that question expecting the answer to be yes before!' She chuckled and wheezed a bit. "But yes I am a witch and I can tell you are too."

"Then why have you let yourself become so damaged?" Morganna looked at the woman with pity and confusion.

"Because, I have had your life little one, and I lived enough of it to be glad to see it end as it was. I wait now for a god of death to claim me, so that I may experience something new, and maybe better." Morganna frowned and leaned forward.

"But they will burn you why do you wish to burn!" The old woman reached a hand out the hand moved fluidly to Morganna's cheek as though she could see suddenly.

"Don't fear fire love, we are like phoenix's you and I, we live our lives picking up the pieces so that one day we can rise again, when you are ready it will be welcome. Your so young," she stroked Morganna's cheek, "it's only natural you could not fathom it…" She smiled and stood up wordlessly. She showed Morganna to the door and opened it for her, Morganna's eyes never left her sightless face. When Morganna looked around her she saw that the morning sun was like fire on the ground and it the clear even skies. The waves of heat from the dessert blew her hair about her and as her tiny mouth hung a gape she realized the significance of her blood red locks.


	5. Dinner and Black Magic

It had been ten days since Cynddylan had killed the two men who had tried to rob Philo. The fat Greek had underestimated their remaining journey and he now swore loudly as he returned from a lodging post that informed him they were still two days out of Athens. Cynddylan sat waiting for his return in the cart. Philo motioned for him to come forward to speak with him and the Lodger. Cynddylan gracefully jumped to the ground and hurried over to them. Philo was speaking Greek to them man who was scraping gunk out of goat hooves.

"Listen I have a one ton block of granite that needs to be in Athens's tomorrow, is there no way you know of we might achieve this?"

"Not unless you can throw it there!" The man spat as he laughed, his three remaining teeth bared like brown sprouts. Philo put a hand on Cynddylan shoulder and spoke to him in his native language.

"This old bastard informs me we will be late, so let us at least be rested, he says there is a town a mile down the way, we shall have good food and a dry roof, what do you think?" Cynddylan concentrated on his new grammar lesson's and spoke.

"I_ think_ we should go!" He smiled satisfied at his "th" noise. Philo nodded well done and nodded and said something nasty to the lodger. By night fall they'd reached the next city. It was small and made of wood. Hardly any stone was used in anything. The people looked dirty but happy and more modern than the town Cynddylan had lived in. Philo pulled the cart to the side infront of a place where people were eating. Philo ordered them found in Greek and told Cynddylan it was a surprise. When he first tasted it he thought it must have been the food of the gods.

"Philo what is tis?"

"Mind your _this, _it's chiken do you like it?"

"It's delicious, what is it made of?" Philo laughed and smiled at the boy.

" Chiken is a bird! It's quite common, they don't have many of these wear you come from eh?" Cynddylan shook his head.

"Na, we have lamb, and beats, and cow sometimes but this is the best!" Philo smiled.

"Well get used to it, it's pretty cheap so you'll be eating allot of it." Cynddylan noticed Philo's concern on the topic of price.

"I'm sorry Philo, I didn't know that money was bad. You have my chicken, you paid for it I do not want gifts." Philo shook his head furiously and threw his hands up.

"No absolutely not, I bought that chicken for you and you like it so eat it, you have saved my life, I'd by you chicken until I'd sold my sold if I had to!" Cynddylan smiled at his gestured. He chuckled briefly then let the subject go. "Besides," Philo continued "I am not a poor man, I only spend like one." Cynddylan gulped down his bite.

"What is that big rock in the cart for?"

"Ah an excellent question! I am a stone dealer, I buy rocks for art and then I deliver them back to Grease or wherever. It's a lucrative business, marble is very expensive, and hard to work with so sculptors need a lot. I do other things to, I also deal clay and fur and just about anything else that needs to be imported or exported. I'm a merchant but a small one."

"There is nothing small about you Philo!" Philo roared with laughter and the two of them drank whine and commented on the beautiful women they saw who's looks seemed to improve with the whine.

Morganna hadn't talked much since her visit to the old witch. She was always chatty but not now. Her full pouty lips never seemed to smile. Most of the time she sat looking at her hair or her hands or starring into space. Her sisters were jealous of her new found composure. They thought she'd some how managed to grow up faster than them and they wanted to know her secret. When they asked her what she'd done Morganna would shoot them down with a glare that silenced them. When had their little sister become so powerful?

Morganna wasn't the only one who changed, their surroundings moved as soon as they'd settled. Shabaka had brought them to one of the various buildings that made up the Nubian palace complex. Shabaka and his brother were not Egyptian at all, they had only conquered Egypt farley recently, their residence still bore the feeling of new grandeur rather than the fine antique ways of the Egyptians who lived north of them. Esmeralda thought them nothing but insignificant boys playing in a sand box. But she kept that between her family. Lilith had noticed Shabaka taking a strong liking to her mother. Esmeralda assured her she was totally uninterested in anything except his possessions and his money. Still she now slept in his chambers instead of with the girls. Apparently he had enough money for that at least.

Esmeralda worked all day going through her inventory looking for what ingredients she had and what she needed to do the spell she was picturing. It was an old spell but not as complicated as some of Esmeralda's specialties. The plan was to make Phiye commit suicide and to let loose a plague on Egypt so it would be easy to take control of. She could call it off if she wanted so all the cards were in her deck. The suicide bit would be easy, she could do that without magic, the plague would be a challenge though. She had thought about asking a demon for assistance, but she didn't want to share the pay out. Finally she came up with what she needed.

That night the girls had gathered around a fire pit on the banks of the white Nile. Morganna and her sisters laid out colored sand in circles and patterns around the fire. They had done this before and they worked quickly. Morganna's job was to write, " and may the darkness except this offering." In theban, the ancient language of witches. Her other sisters worked around her letters. Lilith drew a huge snake around Morganna's letters. Once she got to the head she drew the neck severed and wrote another spell around it's head. Morganna smiled at Lilith and the two carefully walked out of the circle, the other girls soon followed. Esmeralda sat at the apparent base of the circle. There was a large stone in front of the fire place that she would use as an alter. Seeing that the girls were finished she approached it. Before her lay her mix of ingredients laid out in the order she would need them. Esmeralda nodded and the six girls removed their dresses revealing painted naked skin. Each of them had drawings and writings all over their bodies, painted to look like the circle. Each of them took up their place around the circle. Esmeralda smiled at her girls. She too disrobed. After a moments pause the six girls began to scream and rock from side to side as their mother uttered incantations into the fire that now roared before her to the girls voices. The six began to dance and whirle around their circles kicking up sand and screaming to the heavens. Esmerelda threw her ingredients into the fire and threw her hands up shaking wildly. The girls returned to their places and became silent as there mother drew a knife a crossed her belly. With one hand she smoothed the blood off her body, uncut despite the blood. With one fluid movement she thrust her hand into the fire and it soared into the sky feeding on her blood and singing in time to her words. Her hand remained unburned as the flames liked her flesh she grinned wildly and laughed at her power as she finished her curse. The girls fell to their knees as the fire took off into the air. The flames spun like a pinwheel for a moment then came the buzzing and a hole seemed to rip in the universe and out from the sky descended a million locus swarming furiously away from the Sabbath and heading toward Egypt. Esmeralda smiled and watched the plague go. The girls stood and watched. Morganna went to her mother and took her hand. Esmeralda frowned and bent down to speak to her.

"Mommy, when will you go to the fire?" Esmeralda blinked a few moments trying to figure out what she was talking about. Esmeralda smiled and hugged her child to her breast.

"Not until I want to. And so long as you live I will never want to."


	6. Harbingers

The remaining trek into Greece took next to no time at all. Philo cursed through it all though. Complaining about tardiness seemed to be his grate pleasure in life. Chynddylan wondered if this was a regular occurrence. Philo hissed all the bumpy way until he caught sight of a white stone city. Chynddylan sat speechless before what he thought could not have existed in this world. The tall megestic temples surrounded by white stone huts with roofs that seemed to be made of dragon's scales of earth. Philo was busy explaining it all to him, but Chynddalyn didn't hear a word. To him the water the shot from the ground into buckets was a miracle, the Philo, it was a well, why on earth would the boy have wanted to loose that outlook on life. It didn't take long for the donkey's to halt in front of a shop they seemed to have visited before, for several small children came out to feed and pet them as an older boy removed their equipment. The shop keeper emerged wearing robs the resembled Philo's but his body was well muscled and his clothes better kept. The man wore a cloth over his head and mouth and a fancy chisel in his hand. He greeted Philo as a friend and the two of them exchanged words in Greek. Philo was given money and the man took stalk of the rocks in the cart. Philo smiled at Chynddalyn and gestured for him to come with him down the street.

"That man was my customer, he will keep the cart and animals for the night while we arrange for more work."

"And for me ta meet yer friend?"

"Yes, that's the first thing for us to do. Now listen closely to me child I see your eyes wandering, Athens is a beautiful city and there while be time to examine her, but just not now!" Philo took Chynddalyn by the arm and briskly escorted him to one of the large temples.

To Chynddalyn's disappointment they were not going to the mighty temple her self but to a small group of humble houses to her flank. These two were stone, and an object of fascination for the young boy. Philo stopped at the door of one hut that seemed larger than it's neighbors the door stood nine feet tall while the rest were hardly six.

"Wait here while I make sure we aren't intruding." Philo strained to open the door then squeezed through the opening he'd created. Chynddalyn used this time to marvel at the carvings of demons and gods carved into the door. It was beautiful and intrecet, it was a battle scene and the two monsterous armies were engaged with each other. He staired at the cruel faces of the gods and he seemed to loose himself as everthing but that face left him.

He was so taken he hardly noticed when Philo hit him in the head with the opening door.

"Chynddalyn! Are you all right! What were you doing? Hmmf, funny ways you have? Come in my friend will see you now. Chynddalyn continued to stare at the face until he could no longer see it on the other side of the door. The room was dark before him. No external light entered the one room dwelling, Chyanddlyn rubbed his eyes to udjust to the candle light. Philo left, closing the door behind him.

"Philo!" chynddalyn panic feeling as though he'd been left to lions. He looked forward searching for the rooms occupant. There was nothing but the burning candle and it's flicker as the wick disintegrated into wax. It would go out soon. He wondered if he would have to be in this dark room when it happened. Abruptly Chynddalyn heard the sound of sliding and heavy feet planting themselves into mud. His senses detected no danger but the hair still stood up on his forearms. Who ever was in this room was not human. The blackness of the room concealed the details of the creature as it rose from the ground it pushed its self up with it's back to the wall. The thing had no definably human traits as it sat up but slowly it seemed to straiten out until Chynddalyn could recognize a head and shoulders. The black mass stood before him almost eight feet tall, still ambiguously formed in the candle light. After finding form, the creature pause for a moment as if to stretch and breathe for the first time in a long time. When he spoke his voice was deep and clear, he had no accent and a slight growl to the ends of his d's.

" I understand you posses some gifts that are not within human limits?" Chynddalyn remained silent. " Ah, you are frightened don't be, I am no danger to you. Demon." Chynddalyn suddenly grew angry and snarled.

"I'm no demon! You forget me too soon!" The figure grinned.

"Ah, so you do recognize me? Curious, I thought maybe you had forgotten or dismissed it as a dream, but now I see you've chosen to deny our last conversation ever happened." Chynddalyn took a step toward his host.

" I remember every word you said to me. I just couldn't convince myself such cruelty was possible." The man in the shadows laughed, his deep tones boomed off the walls around them.

"Cruel is a matter of prospective…" he lowered his head, the boy looked into mat black eyes that carried no life. " you're still too young to have any of that yet. This is not our final meeting." The boy continued to watch him resolutely. "Philo will take you to apprentice under the town undertaker, there you will learn your trade, learning death in life will better prepare you to judge life in death." Chynddalyn looked at him questioningly trying to find his meaning. "You've already made your choice, you can't turn back now."

"I know. When will we see each other next?"

"I imagine, on the day you die." Chynddalyn looked down, fear and dread now flushing through him as the consequences of his choices became a reality. The man in the shadow set a huge gloved hand on top of his head. The boy slouched a bit with the weight." Don't be afraid, for you, death is but a doorway you'll walk through on the endless road of your existence."

"Will there be pain." The hand fell from his head as he looked up at him once more. The older man smiled as if he'd heard this question too many times to be delicate anymore.

"Oh yes, more than you can fathom. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, you're still more than a decade off of that." The heavy door opened behind Chynddalyn, light poured into the room and as the darkness left so did the man in the darkness. The boy stood there thinking for a moment. He then resolved something within himself and turned to find Philo. Once he emerged, the world seemed so much more temporary, like it had been magically transformed since he left it ten minutes earlier. Philo got up from a rock wall he'd used as a seat. He quickly hustled over to the boy. The young man seemed paler and older.

"Well what did he say to you, anything helpful?" Chynddalyn shook his head and walked past him.

"No, just some things I already knew. Do you know an undertaker?" he followed him with his eyes quizzically.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do?" Philo ran to catch up with him. "Why do you plan on needing a coffin soon?" Chynddalyn turned smiling as wide as he could, tears ran down his dirty face leaving lines on his dusty cheeks. He shuttered as he sobbed.

"No … but I should like to learn to make them." Philo looked at him amazed in the change that had come over him. The boy suddenly spoke perfectly and his demeanor, he suddenly seemed like a man who'd lived twice as long as Philo had. He reminded him of an old man looking back on younger years and knowing he'd never see them again.

Esmeralda had been waiting for the king of Egypt for almost an hour when Phyie finally entered his own sleeping chambers. The king was expecting her. He'd been told she was a gift from his brother, another woman for his harem. He had not been expecting what he found. The King was awkward with women and un aggressive unlike his brother, the tiger that now stat before him was terrifying. She smiled at his obvious discomfort. She'd been told by Shabaka that his brother liked slave girls who didn't speak, not out spoken proud women like her. The King tried to say something he gestured to the door then paced a few steps he fidgeted. Esmeralda couldn't help but roll her eyes. She stood and untied her sash. The King looked away and tried to say something is Eygptian, apparently he only spoke Nubian. Esmeralda approached him slowly like an animal closing in on wounded prey. The king grimaced then stiffly walked to the balcony hoping to escape her. Esmeralda did not increase her gate. The king stood gasping for air, had he lived in modern times he would have been called an asthmatic.

He tried to ignore her by talking about his beautiful city, Nampata had a dark blue tone this time of night, the sun had been gone for an hour but light still filtered from distant hills. He explained this in Nubian hoping to engross his vixen into conversation. Unfortunately Nubian was a language Esmeralda did not speak, unfortunate for him that is, had he spoken better Egyptian, or she better Nubian, the poor bastard might have had more warning.

"My king, it is my pleasure to join you this evening I hope you find me to your liking." She fought hard to suppress laughter. She stopped before his personal supply of opium from china. She drew up the pipe in her mouth and savored the good flavor. "Expensive stuff, I'll have to add this to my tab." She smiled as the poor fool continued to blabber on about architecture. " You know…" she took a drag of the pipe, "a stronger man might have just told me to leave, yet you seam to neither want me to stay or go, is it possible I intimidate you that badly?" He was gesturing to a temple now. " More than a possibility I'd say actually. Tisk tisk, I think I'll be doing a public service by getting rid of you."

With that she lunged on him holding him far too intimately for his comfort, he squirmed and protested in Nubian. She blew smoke in his face and wrapped his sash around his mouth. She held him there for two minutes before she was certain she'd caused him to pass out. She laid his body onto the balcony ledge and unceremoniously pushed him over it to fall to his death. She looked over it in time to watch his body burst and break. Blood all over the lime stone. Pitty, she thought. From her clothes she extracted a suicide note Shabaka had written for the occasion. She set it down next to the opium and left.

When the scene was latter examined, the only strange thing found about the room was that the king's opium pipe was missing.

Esmeralda strolled back to her home confidently, Shabaka would deliver her pay the following morning and she and her daughters would leave the next day. As she turned the corner of the cobblestone street she stopped in horror, in front of where her home had been a bonfire smoldered with the remains of a young girl tied to a stake set in it's center.


	7. The Death of Family

Shingami report of case number 3215097

December 3, 703 BC

Section 578889 Europe

Translated for operatives convenience

Controlled File

He'd slept well in the crook of his mothers bosom. The winter was cold and the nights were long and hellish. He clung to his family like frost on grass. It was not yet light enough to see anything definitely. Cynddylan woke with a start as he realized he'd forgotten to tie up the sheep. He rose quickly waking his mother as the moving blankets let in the cold.

By the time his feet stood on open ground it was already too late to avoid the huge beast standing to his side. The hideous fanged creature resembled a man but of a kind the young boy had never seen. He shook as he failed to find enough breathe to fill his lungs. A warm trickle of urine past down his thigh as the thing's head came to his ear. Before it could speak Cynddalyn's mother emerged from the cottage and screamed into the silent night. It's hand gripped her throat as her husband struggled to get around his wife and son to see what was happening. He yelled in the night but none of the villagers dared move from their houses. The boy still could not move as his own mother choked for breathe. And then it was off of her. And they were all gone.

His head moved on a swivel as he tried to figure if he had dreamed that monstrous thing. He spun twice before it appeared again before him this time not as before. He was on his knees now his head bowed to the ground, his thick rams horns pushed into the frozen mud. A huge man stood behind him wearing the fatigues of a soldier of Babylon. To his flank stood four other man of similar character all of them brandishing swords which they now held to the creature's neck. It looked up at him and then he saw what he had missed before. Blood, blood everywhere on his body like he'd been attacked by wild dogs. His eyes were pale and beautiful, the color of warm honey, he recognized them as his own color, a color which he'd never seen before in another soul. The man who held his arms now spoke in a deep accent-less voice.

"Demon of these black hills, nameless fiend of violence and death. You are found guilty of the charges of eating beyond your fill, revealing your form to unsanctioned beings, speeding famine, unleashing a pestilence of demon moths, and producing offspring of mixed blood. Have I made any mistakes?" The demon coughed as blood ran from his nose and mouth.

"There is no way to argue with shinigami procedure is there Lodovico? So I don't imagine my saying anything will protect me from your wrath." His captor smiled.

"I'm surprised Black Hill, I was expecting more of a fight out of you?" He pulled the demons arms removing them from their sockets. The demon flinched and moaned until the pain became so great he roared. Great black wings pushed through his leather adornments. The huge appendages fought viciously with the man called Lodovico to no avail. The other man quickly held down the wings. One of them produced a six foot scythe from seemingly nowhere, the blade was cut like the surface of water, Cynddylan had never seen anything like it. The assistant pulled the crook of the blade around the struggling demons wing-base then began to saw. The demon cried out.

"Don't shame me in front of my own flesh and blood, I will not fight my death!" He panted as the assistant looked to Lodovico for orders. Lodovico moved the blade away from his quarry with a slow movement of his hand. Black blood splattered as the blade parted from the flesh.

"I would not deny you your dignity in death, your crimes were serious but not worthy of shame." The demon let his face fall back to the upturned mud, hot fiery breathe poured from his mouth as the blood began to stop. The wounds Cynddylan had just seen on his face were already disappearing into ashy spots and then nothing. The demon's eyes fixed back onto the boy, still standing speechless before this scene of arrest. One of the assistants moved to speak to Lodovico over his shoulder quietly. Lodovico's eyes met the frightened boy's as he at last recognized his presences. He whispered to his associate and gestured for a moment. In one fast movement he removed his sword from it's sheath and pressed it to the demon's neck. "Have you any words to say?" The demon pulled away from the sword enough to free his neck for speaking. He turned his head back to face Cynddylan and he smiled.

"What ever they offer you, take it. Any alternative to the life you will live and the death it will bring is a welcome one. Take heart you were made of better stuff than these cynical bastards!" And he laughed as hard and as loud as he could even as hot tears burned against his skin. Lodovico raised his sword. The hand extended and the blade curled until the beautiful instrument resembled a much more delicate version of the first scythe the boy had seen. The scythe passed through the creature's neck like it was cutting through air. Strange parchment buzzed about the body as the head rolled to the side. Blank, black boxes covered the tape as it returned to the demon's chest.

"Just as I suspected, not even enough of a soul for a cinematic record." He walked forward as his assistants moved the body into Cynddalyn's hut. Once he was tucked inside they lit it on fire to dispose of the body. One of the out stretched hands turned to dust as the wind graced it's side. The man named Lodovico now stood before him. The boy could hardly speak.

"Wat happen to meh parents?"

"They were dead before we arrived, just by a few seconds. Let them be no more concern to you. You have a bigger problem. That creature was your true father and because of that you are a contaminant in the population of human's. By death god law I have to kill you." The boy stared at the fire burning his modest home, three parents now engulfed in flame all laying tangled together in death. He could only speculate what there lives had really been like. He never knew any of them truly. "Do you understand me, I've just told you, you have to die!" Lodovico seemed unnerved by the poise the child possessed. He continued to stare at the fire as he formulated his answer.

"When?"

Morganna awoke to the sound of screaming. She sat up and looked around confused about where the sound had originated from. Her sisters still slept, the sound again, it was coming from outside. Without hesitation she ran out of the house and into the night. A bonfire had been set in the middle of the street and there were many people around it chanting and screaming. The heat was hot enough to warm the steps of the house. Little red embers burst out of the flames as starving men lifted huge logs onto the thresh. They were shouting about plague and witches and the underworld. Their screams were concentrated around an old woman whom Morganna had seen in a shop a few days before. The old woman screamed and pleaded with the crowd as they pulled on her shackles, they were pulling her into the fire. She wept and scratched for her freedom, long arthritic fingers broke in their efforts to avoid the searing flames. The crowd had no remorse for their work. Morganna stood confused, she'd never seen a burning before. They yelled such slurs at the old woman. She was innocent to her crimes. Morganna pushed through the crowd until she was close enough to the witches captors to be heard, she screamed at them and pulled back on the chains to try and slow them. Her screams were not audible amongst the frey, her mouth only moved as the men dragged the witch closer to the flames. A big man swatted Morganna over the face, she flopped to the ground but did not stop. She wrapped her little body around the chain and continued to scream feebly against the roar of the oncoming flames.  
Lilith came soaring out of the house screaming for her little sister. Morganna yelled for her in the cacophony but she barely made a sound in the roar. Lilith ran into the crowd fighting back against the presence of bodies in her path. She found Morganna finally in the midst of the mob. She yelled and smacked people as she grabbed onto her sister. Lilith kicked the men who were dragging the witch and her sister. The man yelped and raised a threshing scythe to show he would harm her. Lilith spit into the man's face and screamed at the crowd viscously. Finally they grew quite enough for Lilith and Morganna to be heard.  
"Stop it that's my sister!" The men looked amongst each other confused at the little ones actions. The women in the crowd muttered amongst themselves until one middle aged woman pointed a starved finger at the girls.  
" WITCHES! WITCHES! They show SYMPATHY for the plague bringer, they do it they do it! BURN THEM ALL!" Lilith screamed and cried to silence the cheers from the crowd, tears fell down Lilith's cheeks as she held onto Morganna. The little girl continued to hold onto the chain even as Lilith crushed her in her arms. Morganna could feel her sisters hands shake as she yelled back at them curses and protests. The old witch noticed the change in the crowd. She croaked before she spoke.

" IT WAS THEM THEY'VE BROUGHT IT!" The crowd listened to the condemned as she pleaded for her life. " I AM AN OLD FOOLISH WOMAN, THEY ARE THE DAUGHTERS OF A PROSTETUTE! They are unclean they are witches both of them, they haunt me soooooo!" For what ever reason the crowd seemed to sympathize with the pathetic old hag, maybe it was desperation and hunger, or maybe it was the loathing they felt for the two well dressed little girls who'd known no trouble through plague times. Or maybe it was something about the way they looked that made the two girls eerie. They grew silent as they thought of the injustices of a lowly prostitute feeding her children well, while their own children starved. The hungry eyes of the mob turned on Lilith and Morganna for blood, the group began to howl again as the same men who'd been ready to burn the old witch seized Lilith. Morganna let go of the chains in disbelief at her betrayal. She clung now to her sister and her sister only. The men seized Lilith by the arms. The leader of the group emerged, he grabbed Lilith by the hair as he inspected her for signs of witchcraft.  
" Are you a witch? The witch that has caused this pestilence?" Lilith did not speak, she bit her lip as she looked this man in the eye and saw no hope of escape. The man stopped as he noticed he slits behind her ears, her gills flapped in panic as she tried to seem strong for her sister. The man's mouth fell open as he looked on at her. Morganna could bare it no longer.  
" YES WE ARE WITCHES! WE DIDN"T MEAN FOR THE PLAUGE TO HURT THIS LAND I SWEAR!" Lilith glanced down at Morganna slowly, she mouthed her name as the men pulled Lilith away from Morganna, the little girl screamed as they pulled her to a log, they bound her to it with rope. Morganna fought and cried as she tried to reach her sister. She managed to pull a few feet closer the fire was so hot she broke out into sweat two meters away. The leader spoke again.  
" Thank you for your confession little one for your words you will be spared." Morganna screamed out as they lifted Lilith and the beam above their shoulders. Lilith wept. Blisters formed on her face and her tears sizzled.  
" LOOK AWAY MORGANNA!" She screamed as she was thrown onto the fire. Morganna sobbed and struggled to keep her eyes open, she still fought to get to her sister, Lilith screamed and writhed as her flesh blistered and popped then blacked. Her lungs burned as she screamed. She died as her blood boiled. Morganna fought to no avail as she watched the last bits of life escape her sister.

The crowd cleared quickly after the burning. The old woman lay on the ground in chains. The fire went out after two hours. Without it's light the world was nothing but blackness and soft grey ash reflecting the light of the moon. Morganna sat in front of the blackened logs, bits of black flesh still clung to her sisters charcoal bones. Little piles of ash lay in the palms of her hands. Her fingers now numb from the cold and her struggle. The old witch crawled away finally. Morganna heard the chains clink together.  
" I thought you wanted to die...?" The old woman did not turn to her she did not respond she pulled herself away with her finger tips until she disappeared into her shop. Esmeralda approached the scene slowly, she understood running was useless, still she flinched once she was close enough to touch the bones on the fire. She inhaled sharply as she extended a hand to touch the bones, she retracted it half as fast and looked away. She faced away from the body as she stood next to Morganna.  
" What happened?" Morganna choked as she tried to respond.  
" They burned her, we tried to help, but they burned her... I, I confessed but they took her..." Emeralda seized Morganna by her hair and yanked her to her feet. She held her up on the tips of her toes. Morganna cried for Lilith not the pain. Emeralda shook her furiously.  
" YOU KILLED YOUR OWN SISTER!" Morganna sobbed knowing it was true. Esmeralda snarled and grabbed her daughter by the jaw. She examined the pretty little teeth in her mouth. She dragged her daughter up the stairs into the house. The other girls were all awake, they clung together in the corner. Esmeralda faced them with more rage than she had with Morganna.  
" GET OUT YOU MISERABLE WAIFS! YOU STOOD BY AND LET YOUR SISTER BURN!" She swatted them violently." GET OUT, GET OUT!" The girls ran for the door, they hid outside as Esmeralda turned to Morganna. Esmeralda's voice quivered as she held up a chisel. " I must do what I have to do make you never forget, you damned your own sister to hell. This is the punishment of traitors." Esmeralda seized her daughter's head and hammered away at her mouth.

Morganna whimpered through a bloody mutilated mouth. Her own mother had chiseled her teeth to points, every one of them now dug into her mouth as her gums ran bloody and ruined. Morganna held onto herself as Lilith had as she lay on the floor. She was cold and in pain, but as she cried silently to herself she thought only of her sister forever bathed in boiling oil.


End file.
